Nemrut Dağ is a mountain in the South-East of Turkey, famous for its monumental grave of Antioch 1, a ruler of Commagene. From the Enc. Britt.: "region in northern ancient Syria (modern south-central Turkey) bounded by Cilicia on the west and Cappadocia on the north. Its eastern boundary on the Euphrates River, at the conjunction of several routes over the Taurus Mountains, gave Commagene a strategic position between the Roman and Parthian empires. Commagene broke free from the decaying Seleucid Empire about 162 BC. Its king, Antiochus I (c.69–c. 34 BC), by adroitly playing off Rome against Parthia, brought the kingdom to its zenith—a fact attested by the splendid mausoleum built by Antiochus to his own memory on the peak of Nimrud Dağ. Commagene maintained a precarious independence until it was annexed by Rome in AD 17. After a brief restoration (38–72), it was permanently incorporated into the Roman province of Syria."

I have tried to identify the heads of the statues, but attributions have changed over time, and some are under discussion. If someone who has specialist knowledge corrects me I'd be pleased, on the other hand I hope I did it right the first time around.

I Include pictures of the ride up to Karadut (the village where I stayed, at the fringe of the national park housing the mountain proper) and back from there to Adana, then of the walk up to the top, and down again, and then some of a ride back to the civilized world. Also I publish some pictures of Karadut itself.